Promotion

Major Pike walked down the corridors from the Pilots Briefing Room towards the Command Briefing Room when the explosion happened. He was thrown against the far bulkhead and then hit the ground. When he opened his eyes, he saw smoke coming from the Briefing room and then heard the alarms. He got up and ran into see if there were was anyone left alive. The Commander was obviously dead since the table was where his face should be, but Pike checked for a pulse anyway. He then turned around and saw the Executive Officer laying face down. Pike walked over and checked and found him dead too. He then heard a noise and turned around. Admiral Wallace groaned and tried to move. Pike rushed over and knealt by her.

"Admiral, don't try to move." Pike said and then turned and yelled, "I need Medical here!"

"No Gregg, it's too late for that. Take these." She said removing her rank ingsignia from her collar. "You're going to need them."

"Admiral, no. I can't. I'm just the CAG. There must be someone else."

"You're the one that's here now. I know that you can do this. I have information that you'll need in my quaters. Save whomever you can." Admiral Wallace said and then stopped.

Pike took the insignia from her hands and stood up. He walked to the phone on the wall and called up to CIC. "This is Major Pike, what's our status?"

"Sir, we've had an explosion in the Briefing Room -"

"I know that! That's where I am now. What else?"

"Sorry, Sir. The station has suffered from several explosions."

"Contact the station. Tell them to evacuate any way they can - shuttles, fighter's, or Raptor's. We'll meet up with them outside the maxium blast range. Let the Marines know that we'll be taking on passenger's. Then seal us up and get us away from the station. I'm on my way up."

"Aye, sir."

Pike hung up the phone and headed to CIC.

As he entered, he saluted the Marine and looked around and the staff there. Everyone was doing what they were trained for. "Navigation, find us a point to meet up with teh evacuaees then transmit those coordinates to them."

"Yes sir."

"Communications, what have you heard?"

"Sir." She said with her voice shaking.

Pike walked over to her, "Ensign, stay calm."

"Yes, sir. Caprica and two other colonies have been nuked. The Cylons are destroying everything and everyone. At least a quater of the fleet is confirmed destroyed."

Pike leaned against the console and nodded to her. He didn't have the words. He then turned around to see the Master of Arms standing behind him.

"Sir, where's the Commander and XO?"

"Dead. Admiral Wallace too." Pike replied.

"Who's in command?"

Pike put the rank insignia on the center console under the DRADIS screens. "I am. Admiral Wallace made me Admiral and Battlestar Commander all at once."

The Master at Arms then turned around and approached a Marine who called another one over. "You two are part of the new security detail for the Admiral." They both acknowledged and stood near the doors, out of the way. "Admiral, hatches have been sealed. Those we took on board are sitting in cargo bays until we figure out what to do."

"Make sure that Medical sees them."

"Already done, sir. Sir, what happened?"

"The Cylons have come back. I need you to organize security around the ship. No one goes anywhere where they aren't supposed to. Make sure weapons are secure. I also need you to stay here for the time being and be the XO."

"Yes, Sir!"

"Talk to Captain Mathis, she'll be able to tell you how the status of our flight wing. I'm going to get something from the Admiral's Quaters."

"You mean your quater's, sir."

"No. I'll take over the Commander's quater's later. Admiral Wallace told me to get something that she left." Pike said and then left CIC followed by two Marine's.

When he came back, he told communications to connect him to everyone on the Omega and those flying around. "This is Major Pike, the Commander and XO are dead. Under order's from Admiral Wallace, I am taking command of the Omega."

"Here's what we know. Three colonies have been wiped out. The cyclons have destroyed our government and our homes. One quater of the fleet was destroyed in the initial attack. President Adar is also dead. At this point, that is all we know. The cylons hit us hard. But they might not have known about this place. Right now, I need all Colonial personnel to do their jobs. Any civilians onbaord, try and stay out of their way. The Cylons have brought the war to us. And it's time for us to fight back."